The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Keep Smiling at Trouble (Trouble’s a Bubble)

The song of the day for Thursday, October 30, 2025, is “Keep Smiling at Trouble (Trouble’s a Bubble).”

About This Song

“Keep Smiling at Trouble (Trouble’s a Bubble)” was written in 1924, with music by Lewis Gensler and lyrics by Al Jolson and Buddy DeSylva. It was first recorded by Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians in 1924, with vocals by his brother, Tom Waring. Other noted recordings were by Jolson, Ruby Braff, Tommy Dorsey, Della Reese, and Bobby Hackett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Keep Smiling at Trouble (Trouble’s a Bubble)” on April 20, 1967, for his album For Once In My Life. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangement.

“Keep Smiling at Trouble (Trouble’s a Bubble),” as well as For Once. In My Life, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Yesterdays

The song of the day for Sunday, October 26, 2025, is “Yesterdays.”

About This Song

“Yesterdays” was written by Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach for the 1933 Broadway musical Roberta, where it was introduced by Irene Dunne. Roberta was made into a film in 1935. The Kern-Harbach score for Roberta also included “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” and “Let’s Begin,” which Tony Bennett recorded in 1957 for his third album, The Beat of My Heart.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Yesterdays” on February 26, 1964; it was released in 1966 on A Time For Love. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangement.

“Yesterdays,” as well as A Time For Love, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)

The song of the day for Thursday, October 23, 2025, is “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”

About This Song

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” was written in 1931 by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills. This song was one of the first songs to use the word “swing” in the title and this song certainly defined what it meant to swing. Ellington recorded the song with Ivie Anderson on vocals and it was an immediate hit. It has been widely recorded since it was written and the song is a lot of fun to play and to listen to. Significant recordings include those by Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt, Gigi Gryce, Tony Bennett, and Thelonious Monk.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” in May 1999 for Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, his tribute to Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangement.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington Hot & Cool, is available on Apple Music.

We’ve also got the first recording of this song with Ivie Anderson and Duke Ellington and His Orchestra. This recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008.

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Song of the Day: Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me

The song of the day for Saturday, October 11, 2025, is “Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me.”

About This Song

“Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me” was written in 1938 by Rube Bloom and Ted Koehler for the World’s Fair edition of the Cotton Club show in 1939. Significant recordings include those by Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Joni Mitchell, and Count Basie with Joe Williams.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me” on April 4, 1961, for My Heart Sings. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangement and conducted.

“Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me,” as well as My Heart Sings, is available on Apple Music.

I found a couple of different versions of “Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me” you might enjoy.

Count Basie and Joe Williams from Basie’s 1957 album One O’Clock Jump:

Joni Mitchell from her 2000 album Both Sides Now:

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Song of the Day: It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing)

The song of the day for Sunday, September 28, 2025, is “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing).”

About This Song

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing)” was written by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills in 1931. This song was one of the first songs to use the word “swing” in the title and this song certainly defined what it meant to swing. Ellington recorded the song in 1932 with Ivie Anderson on vocals and it was an immediate hit. It has been widely recorded since it was written and the song is a lot of fun to play and to listen to. Significant recordings include those by Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt, Gigi Gryce, Tony Bennett, and Thelonious Monk.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing)” in May 1999 for his album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, which was released 26 years ago on September 28, 1999. Ralph Burns wrote the arrangement. The recording features Clayton Cameron on drums and Gray Sargent on guitar.

Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing),” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available on Apple Music.

We’re happy to feature the first recording of today’s song by Ivie Anderson and Duke Ellington.